A Biographical Dictionary of Australian and New Zealand Economists

This book documents the history of economic discourse in Australia and New Zealand from the early days of European settlement. Many of the early economists were immigrants (William Hearn, Charles Pearson, Catherine Spence, David Syme).

Buy the E-book

Resources

Join our mailing list

This book documents the history of economic discourse in Australia and New Zealand from the early days of European settlement. Many of the early economists were immigrants (William Hearn, Charles Pearson, Catherine Spence, David Syme). A few (such as W.C. Wentworth, born on the First Fleet) were proud natives, self-taught but confident and assertive in their use of economic arguments. The 20th century brought European refugees (Heinz Arndt, Harro Bernardelli, Fred Gruen, Kurt Singer) and a healthy crop of locally-born public servant-economists (Bernard Ashwin, John Crawford, ‘Nugget’ Coombs, Leslie Melville, Roland Wilson). There were theorists of international renown (Richard Manning, Wilfred Salter, Trevor Swan), some who made important contributions to public policy debates (Ronald Henderson, Eric Russell) or distinguished themselves in econometrics (Rex Bergstrom, Bill Phillips). The 130 entries in this volume have been written by more than 50 international authorities, revealing the depth and diversity of economics in Australia and New Zealand over almost two centuries.

This biographical dictionary is a rich and comprehensive original reference work that will appeal to many economists and researchers of history and public policy in addition to those involved in the history of economic thought.

‘The editorial achievement in this volume is impressive. Not only has the canvas of potential entries been remarkably thorough, but also the space allotted to each seems nicely in accord with their importance.’
– Craufurd Goodwin, History of Economics Review

‘Academics, graduate students, journalists, and researchers and historians who work within government and non-governmental organisations and the private sector will find this book a valuable resource and an enjoyable read.’
– Susan K. Schroeder, Australian Economic History Review

‘. . . this is not just a reference book, wonderful though it is as a reference book, but a book to be read through from cover to cover with immense pleasure and much profit.’
– Steven Kates, EH.Net

‘This is a delightful volume: a valuable reference book and at the same time an account of economics in Australia that can be read right through as history. This is the way the history of science should be presented, as an account not only of the giants of the field, but of the pygmies as well. Happily this is not an exercise in hagiography. John King has arranged for admirable balance in this collection between entries on such major figures as Colin Clark, Timothy Coghlan, and Douglas Copland, while not forgetting more colorful others such as one who is described as “a club-footed drunk and recidivist bankrupt who occasionally assaulted his colleagues”.’
– Craufurd Goodwin, Duke University, US

‘Despite globalization, economic ideas in the Antipodes have always been distinctively different from the rest of the world. This book tracks the careers of 130 eminent but deceased Australian and New Zealand economists, largely told by their colleagues and friends. This caps earlier studies of Antipodean economics by Craufurd Goodwin, Peter Groenewegen and Bruce McFarlane. We only have to mention names like Arthur Smithies, Heinz Arndt, Colin Clark, Graham Salter, Stanley Jevons, Trevor Swan, Bill Phillips, Frederic Benham and Robert Torrens to remind us of how much we have all learned from Antipodean economists. This book is a perfect read on that long plane journey to Australia or New Zealand.’
– The late Mark Blaug, formerly of the University of London and University of Buckingham, UK